Trash container liner dispenser package

ABSTRACT

A package for containing and dispensing trash container liners provided as a continuous strip of liners separated one from the next by a line of perforations. The continuous strip of liners is supplied as a cylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinal axis. The package is characterized by a substantially cylindrical plastic bag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis. The plastic bag is formed with a pattern of perforations defining an elongated slot parallel to the second longitudinal axis. The cylindrical roll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with the first and second longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one with the other. A flange at one end of the bag includes means for hanging the package from a display rack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a dispenser package for trash container linersand, more particularly, to such a dispenser package which can be placedat the bottom of a trash container without requiring any modification tothe trash container.

It is fairly common to use plastic liners, or bags, for lining theinteriors of trash containers or garbage cans. The liners are frequentlysupplied in boxes, or in rolls. A liner is removed from the supply andplaced in the trash container to line its interior. After the liner isfilled with trash, it is removed from the trash container and discarded,and a new liner is then removed from the supply and inserted into thetrash container. Typically, the supply of trash can liners is stored ina closet or on a shelf, and a new liner must be obtained from the supplybefore insertion into the trash container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,292 to Cuccharia discloses a specially designedtrash receptacle wherein a roll of trash can liners is contained in aholder beneath the receptacle and liners are inserted in the receptaclethrough a slot in the bottom thereof. While useful for its intendedpurpose, such an arrangement requires a special two-part receptacle andliner holder. It would therefore be desirable to have a dispenserpackage for trash container liners which does not require the use of aspecially designed trash container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,847 to Pedersen et al discloses a trash bagdispenser which is placed in the bottom of a trash container. Thedispenser includes a flexible pouch containing a continuous strip ofliners, which are removed one at a time from an opening in the pouchwhile remaining removably secured to the following liner in the pouch.This patent discloses two embodiments, with the first embodiment havingthe liners folded in an accordion-like manner within the pouch, and thesecond embodiment having the liners as a coil (with a half twist foreach revolution of the coil) with the axis of the coil extending throughthe opening of the pouch. In both of these embodiments, the folding orwinding of the supply of liners is a complicated procedure. It wouldtherefore be desirable to have a dispenser package for trash containerliners which does not suffer from the deficiencies noted above.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,405, I disclose a dispenser for trashcontainer liners which includes a rigid triangular box containing asupply of liners in the form of a cylindrical roll of a continuous stripof liners. The liners extend through an open slot in a side of the boxand the box is detachably secured to the bottom of the trash container.While this construction overcomes the deficiencies noted above withrespect to the other referenced patents, the triangular shape of the boxdoes not lend itself to easy stacking, either on a sales shelf in astore or for storage of unused boxes. Further, the triangular shape doesnot lend itself to automated assembly.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,194, I disclose a dispenser for trashcontainer liners including a rigid rectilinear box containing a supplyof liners in the form of a cylindrical roll of a continuous strip ofliners. The liners extend through an open slot in the top of the box andthe innermost liner of the roll is securely attached to a cylindricalspindle on which the liners are wound. The dispenser also includes areinforcing insert in the form of a piece of sheet stock in a U-shapepartially surrounding the roll of liners. The box is detachably securedto the bottom of the trash container and the spindle is dimensioned soas not to pass through the slot. Accordingly, when the last liner in thebox is used and removed from the container, the box is removed as well.While this construction satisfactorily solves all of the aforedescribedproblems of the prior art, a number of countries have restrictions onthe use of paperboard for such a dispenser package. It would thereforebe desirable to have a dispenser package which is consistent with theadvantageous attributes of the dispenser disclosed in the '194 patent,while at the same time satisfying the regulations of those countrieswhich restrict the use of paperboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a package forcontaining and dispensing trash container liners provided as acontinuous strip of liners separated one from the next by a line ofperforations and wherein the continuous strip of liners is supplied as acylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinal axis. Theinventive package is characterized by a substantially cylindricalplastic bag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis,the plastic bag being formed with a pattern of perforations defining anelongated slot parallel to the second longitudinal axis. The cylindricalroll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with the first andsecond longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one with the other.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the inventive package isfurther characterized by securing means disposed on the plastic bag fordetachably securing the plastic bag to the inside bottom of a trashcontainer.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the inventivepackage is further characterized by the securing means being disposed onthe exterior of the plastic bag opposite from the pattern ofperforations.

In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, the inventivepackage is further characterized by the plastic bag being formed with aflange extending longitudinally beyond one of its closed ends, whereinthe flange includes means for hanging the package from a display rack.

In accordance with a still another aspect of this invention, theinventive package is further characterized by the plastic bag beingformed of biodegradable material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the followingdescription in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements indifferent figures thereof are identified by the same reference numeraland wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser package constructedaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the dispenser package shown in FIG.1, taken transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dispenser package;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the dispenser package according to the presentinvention mounted at the bottom of a trash container, shown in section,with a liner disposed for use; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a filled liner being removedfrom the trash container with a subsequent liner being pulled from theinventive dispenser package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a dispenser package,designated generally by the reference numeral 10, constructed inaccordance with the present invention. The package 10 includes asubstantially cylindrical plastic bag 12 and a supply of plastic liners14 within the bag 12. The bag 12 is closed at both ends 16, 18. Asshown, the bag 12 has a longitudinal axis 20. The bag 12 is formed witha pattern of perforations 22 defining an elongated slot parallel to thelongitudinal bag axis 20. The liners 14 can be removed from the interiorof the bag 12 through the slot 22.

The liners 14 are conventionally manufactured as a continuous strip,wherein the bottom of one liner is separated from the top of the nextliner in the strip by a line of perforations, so that individual linerscan be separated from the strip. The strip of liners is then pleated andformed into a cylindrical roll having a longitudinal axis 24. Ifdesired, a cylindrical spindle 26 can be provided and the continuousstrip of liners 14 would be wound thereon. The innermost liner would befirmly secured to the spindle 26, as by adhesive, staples, or the like.For assembly, the bag 12 is supplied as a flattened open tube. The bag12 is opened to expose its interior and the roll of liners 14 isinserted into the open interior of the bag 12 from one of the ends 16,18, with the axis 24 of the cylindrical roll of liners 14 being parallelto the longitudinal axis 20 of the bag 12. The ends 16 and 18 of the bag12 are then sealed, as by heat or ultrasonic welding, or the like.

In use, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser package 10 is placed atthe bottom of a trash container 28. Before the package 10 is placed inthe container 28, the perforations 22 are separated to provide an openslot. Preferably, the package 10 is detachably secured to the insidebottom of the container 28, illustratively by an adhesive backed hookand loop fastener set or a strip of adhesive tape 30. The securing means30 is disposed on the bag 12 opposite from the pattern of perforations22. With the dispenser package 10 at the bottom of the container 28, asingle liner 14 can be pulled out of the bag 12 through the slot 22 andits open end draped over the open top of the container 28 so as toprovide a liner for the container 28. After the liner 14 is filled, itstop is closed and the entire liner is lifted from the container 28.Since the bottom of that liner is attached to the top of the next linerin the roll, the next liner is pulled from the bag 12. The filled linerand the fresh liner may then be separated one from the other at the lineof perforations therebetween, and the top of the next liner may then bedraped over the top of the container 28, as shown in FIG. 4.

Preferably, the spindle 26 is dimensioned so that it cannot pass throughthe slot 22 of the bag 12. Therefore, when the last liner of thedispenser package 10 is filled and pulled out of the container 28, sinceits bottom is firmly secured to the spindle 26 and the spindle 26 cannotpass through the slot 22, the bag 12 is removed from the bottom of thecontainer 28 by separation of the securing means 30 from the bottom ofthe trash container 28. Thus, removal of the last liner results inremoval of the empty bag 12. A fresh dispenser package 10 may then beinstalled in the trash container 28. The use of a spindle 26 would be inconjunction with bags which are used to line large trash containers,such as a homeowner would keep in his/her garage, since it may prove tobe difficult for the homeowner to reach all the way down to the bottomof the large container to remove the empty box. However, the homeownercould still drop a new bag into the container so that the securing means30 secures the bag to the bottom of the container. The weight of afilled liner would aid in the adherence of the securing means 30.

To display the package 10 at the point of sale, the bag 12 is preferablyformed with a flange 32 extending beyond the closed end 18. The flange18 includes means for hanging the package 10 from a display rack.Illustratively, the hanging means is provided by an opening 34 extendingthrough the flange 32. As an alternative to hanging the package 10 froma display rack, the package 10 may be placed on end on a shelf.

In view of increasing concerns about the effects of plastic on ourenvironment, the plastic bag 12, as well as the liners 14, is formed ofbiodegradable material.

Accordingly, there has been disclosed an improved dispenser package fortrash container liners. While a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated by those ofskill in the art that various adaptations and modifications to thedisclosed embodiment are possible, and it is therefore intended thatthis invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.Thus, the present invention can be manufactured in many different sizes,to fit different size conventional trash containers, without requiringthe use of a specially designed container.

1. A package for containing and dispensing trash container linersprovided as a continuous strip of liners separated one from the next bya line of perforations and wherein the continuous strip of liners issupplied as a cylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinalaxis, the package characterized by: a substantially cylindrical plasticbag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis, theplastic bag being formed with a pattern of perforations defining anelongated slot parallel to said second longitudinal axis, wherein thecylindrical roll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with thefirst and second longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one withthe other.
 2. The package according to claim 1 further characterized by:securing means disposed on the plastic bag for detachably securing theplastic bag to the inside bottom of a trash container.
 3. The packageaccording to claim 2 further characterized in that: the securing meansis disposed on the exterior of the plastic bag opposite from the patternof perforations.
 4. The package according to claim 3 furthercharacterized in that: the securing means includes a hook and loopfastener set.
 5. The package according to claim 3 further characterizedin that: the securing means includes a strip of adhesive tape.
 6. Thepackage according to claim 1 further characterized in that: the plasticbag is formed with a flange extending longitudinally beyond one of itsclosed ends, wherein the flange includes means for hanging the packagefrom a display rack.
 7. The package according to claim 6 furthercharacterized in that: the means for hanging includes an openingextending through the flange.
 8. The package according to claim 1further characterized in that: the plastic bag is formed ofbiodegradable material.